If a baby is born alive and lives for a few minutes, hours or days, then all 5 rites have to be performed. The naming, the washing, shrouding, you will pray the funeral prayer on them and then bury them.
If the baby is born stillbirth, you will only perform 3 out of the 5 funeral rites. You name the baby; you wash the baby and you bury the baby. You do not need a proper shroud for the baby or pray the funeral prayer on the baby. You will also do this for the miscarriages of babies where the limbs are formed.
If the woman suffers a miscarriage and the limbs are not formed an early term miscarriage then there is no naming, no washing, no shrouding and no prayer. You just need to wrap the embryo in a cloth and bury it.
May Allah protect all pregnant women and bless them with healthy babies. May Allah bring comfort and ease to all of those who have lost babies and let these babies be a door to their Jannah. Ameen.
The hospital will ask whether the family will take care of the disposal of the foetus or stillborn remains or whether the hospital should do so. In every circumstance, please ensure that the family opt for carrying out the arrangements themselves or through your local Muslim funeral director.
Islamically a foetus is defined as a morsel of flesh/blood/water if less than 120 days inside a mother’s womb. It becomes human after 120 days (17 weeks + 1 day).
A birth given after 120 days of pregnancy that is stillborn should be given a name. If it is difficult to determine the sex of the child, then a neutral name suitable for both boys and girls should be given.
Both a foetus and a stillborn must be buried. It is important that you do this promptly, especially for “non-viable foetuses”, because if you do not then the hospital will make its own arrangements for disposal and your baby will be denied a Muslim burial.
Hope from the Sunnah for parents who have lost a child
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“Surely the stillborn baby will argue with its Lord for its parents to be entered into Jannah, Allah will say, ‘Admit your parents into Jannah.’ Then it will take them out of the fire with its umbilical cord and admit them into Jannah.”
(ibn Majah)
Summary of paperwork needed for burial
The paperwork needed for burial is shown in bold below
| Type of Death: | Doctor/Coroner gives: | Registrar gives: |
|---|---|---|
| Expected death and unexpected death not referred to Coroner | Formal Notice and Medical Certificate on Cause of Death |
Certificate for Burial (Green Form) |
| Unexpected death referred to Coroner |
Form 100 (Pink Form) or Form 101, Order for Burial |
Certificate for Burial (Green Form) if Form 100 is given. Nothing further needed for burial if Form 101 given |
|
Stillbirth below 24th week of pregnancy |
NVF Form (Non-Viable Foetus Form) giving details of stillbirth |
Nothing further needed for burial |
|
Stillbirth in the 24th or higher week of pregnancy |
Medical Certificate of Stillbirth |
Certificate of Registration of Stillbirth |
| Any Sign of Life at Birth | MCCD (Medical certificate of Cause of Death) | Both the birth and death will need to be registered. Certificate for Burial (Green Form) |
Support for child funeral costs (Children’s Funeral Fund for England)
The Children’s Funeral Fund for England can help to pay for some of the costs of a funeral for a child under 18 or a baby stillborn after the 24th week of pregnancy.
It is not means-tested: what you earn or how much you have in savings will not affect what you get.
The burial or cremation must take place in England.
What the fund covers
The Children’s Funeral Fund for England can help pay for the:
- burial fees
- cremation fees, including the cost of a doctor’s certificate
- coffin, shroud or casket (up to a cost of £300)
How claiming works
The fees for the burial or cremation can be claimed directly by the burial or cremation provider – you should not be charged.
How to claim for some other expenses (for example, the coffin) depends on whether you are using a funeral director or not.
Loss under 16 weeks gestation
Legal requirements for a private burial
If your baby was under 24 weeks of pregnancy:
There is no legal requirement to involve the registrar or coroner with a home burial unless your baby was born alive and died soon after birth
Your baby must be in a sealed container with no risk of bodily fluid leaking into groundwater, surface water, water courses, or adjoining land
The container must be buried to a depth of at least 18 inches (45cm)
Think carefully about how you will feel if you choose to move house
You can ask the local cemetery to allow the burial and will be required to do the following
- Provide an NVF Form (Non-Viable Foetus Form) giving details of stillbirth Issued by the Midwife at the hospital
- Burial at the local Muslim Cemetery (Check if there will be a charge for burial.) Fill out the Cemetery NOTICE OF INTERMENT FOR COMMON GRAVE
- Alternatively, contact your local Mosque Bereavement/Burial Team or Funeral Director.
Most Mosques or funeral directors should not charge any fees other than the cost of a child coffin when making arrangements for a baby or child’s funeral – check before instructing them to make the arrangements.
Educational and informative Video
Islamic Funeral Rites for Miscarriage and Stillbirth: Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf explains how to bury and other rights for miscarriages, stillbirths and early death.
Helpful Organisations Links
Losing a loved one is an extremely painful experience and the range of feelings and emotions as well as physical reactions can be very confusing and further upsetting.
We offer specialist bereavement support services designed to help bereaved parents cope with their grief.
We believe that every baby lost is one too many. Tommy’s exists to support, care for and champion people, no matter where they may be on their pregnancy journey.
Maggie’s Stillbirth Legacy
Child Bereavement UK
National organisation providing support to families when a baby or child has died and offers support for children faced with bereavement.
- 0800 028 8840
- www.childbereavementuk.org
The Compassionate Friends
Organisation of bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents
that offer support to other after the death of a child.
The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
Provides support and information for people who have had
or been affected by an ectopic pregnancy.
- 020 7733 2653
- www.ectopic.org.uk
Fertility Network UK
Provides support to people dealing with infertility and/or who are facing involuntary childlessness.
Little Things and Co
Baby Bereavement Charity, this has lots of downloadable leaflets on various topics for all members of the family.
The Miscarriage Association
National organisation offering support and information for individuals affected by pregnancy loss.
- 01924 200 799
- www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk
SANDs
Provides support and information for anyone affected by the death of a baby, before or after birth.
- 020 7436 5881
- www.sands.org.uk
Twins Trust
Offers support to families who have lost one or more children from a multiple birth.
